Publishing from inside SOLIDWORKS is fine when one engineer needs one PDF. It does not scale to a release process where every drawing that reaches Released must produce a PDF, a STEP for the supplier and a flat-pattern DXF for the laser shop, with the vault revision stamped on each. PDMPublisher for PDM Professional is a SOLIDWORKS PDM task add-in: an administrator configures it once in the PDM Administration tool, and from then on the task runs on a workflow transition, from the right-click Tasks menu or on a schedule, on a task host that opens SOLIDWORKS, exports the files and checks the output back into the vault.
What the PDM task does
PDMPublisher is a SOLIDWORKS PDM task add-in that saves your SOLIDWORKS files to other formats using advanced filters and places custom properties, data-card values and BOM quantities on PDFs, then merges them. It processes individual part files (.sldprt), drawing files (.slddrw) and assemblies (.sldasm) together with all their references, and converts Microsoft Word and Excel documents to PDF.
The task can export to PDF and 3D PDF (pdf, _3dpdf), DWG and DXF, eDrawings (eprt, easm, edrw), STEP, IGES, STL, Parasolid (x_t, x_b), ACIS (sat), 3D XML, 3MF, IFC, U3D, VRML, VDA, CGR, HCG, HSF, and HTML, XAML, JPG, TIF, BMP, AI and PSD. The html format requires eDrawings Professional. Drawings can be exported as dxf; manufacturing-ready flat patterns from sheet-metal parts use the separate Export sheet metal parts to 1:1 flat pattern DXF option.
The minimum supported version is SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional 2018 SP0 with SOLIDWORKS 2018 or later. Blue Byte recommends the latest PDM Professional service pack.
Why it matters
- Release packages happen on the transition, not on a to-do list. Attach the task to the transition into Released and every approved drawing produces its deliverables before anyone asks for them.
- Supplier handoff is repeatable. The same task definition produces the same folder structure, filenames and annotations for every part, so purchasing and suppliers stop asking which PDF is current.
- Engineers keep working. Export runs on a task host, not on the designer’s SOLIDWORKS session.
- Revision-correct output. Get latest revision only publishes the version tied to the newest recorded revision rather than whatever work-in-progress was checked in last.
- Batch and archive jobs. Scheduled Items and PDM scheduling turn the same task into a nightly archive of released PDFs or a one-off regeneration of a whole project.
How it works: task host and execution
A PDM task is a definition stored in the vault. When it launches, SOLIDWORKS PDM hands the selected files to a computer that is permitted to execute the task, the task host. On that host, PDMPublisher starts the SOLIDWORKS version selected in Use this version of SOLIDWORKS, retrieves the source files and references from the local vault view, exports each output, and checks the results into the destination folder inside the vault (or writes them to a network location outside it).
Task execution can happen on the client that launched the task or on a dedicated server, depending on which computers are checked on the task’s Execution Method page and permitted in Task Host Configuration. A dedicated task host is the usual choice for workflow-triggered and scheduled jobs; running on the launching client suits interactive right-click use where the user expects to be prompted for files, configurations and formats.
- The assembly and its references must have local copies on the machine that runs the task. Do a get-latest on the assembly and references on the task host, or enable Work with latest version.
- The Windows account running the task must be able to start the configured SOLIDWORKS version.
- The user running the task, or the task host account, must have PDM permissions to add and edit files in the export location and the log folder.
- The vault’s root folder is typically locked for adding files by PDM administrators; choose an export location where the workflow and folder permissions allow adding and editing files.
Three ways to launch the task
| Launch method | How it starts | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Workflow transition | Attach the task to a transition in the workflow editor, for example into Released. | Files moving through the transition become the task input. Combine with Get latest revision only for release publishing. |
| Right-click Tasks menu | Select files in the vault view, right-click, Tasks > task name. | The menu uses the name defined on the task setup page. Hide it with Hide Task in File Explorer when the task should run only from workflows. |
| Scheduled task | Configure the PDM Scheduling page (when to start) and the PDMPublisher Scheduled Items page (which files). | Scheduling is PDM’s own framework. Scheduled Items override every other file selection. |
Set it up in the PDM Professional task: installation
- Install the add-in into the vault. The recommended method is PDMDeploy: import
PDMDeploy.cexinto the Add-ins node of the Administration tool, load the customer configuration with the activation code, right-click PDMDeploy and select Update AddIns…, then check PDMPublisher and select Install selected. Alternatively download the.cexfile from the order email or your account, right-click it, select Properties and Unblock, then File > Open… in the Administration tool and drag the add-in onto the Add-ins node. - Log in with a PDM user that has the Edit Add-Ins permission. After installing, confirm the version under Add-ins matches the order email.
- Activate the license: right-click PDMPublisher under Add-ins, select Manage license…, enter the license key from the order email and select Activate. The license entitles you to a specified duration and a number of domains (vaults where the add-in can be installed).
- Optionally enable Windows light or dark theme synchronization from the PDMPublisher add-in menu in the Administration tool.
Set it up in the PDM Professional task: create the task
- Open the SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration tool, right-click Tasks and select New Task….
- Enter a unique name that describes what the task exports. This is the name users see under Tasks in the right-click menu.
- On the Add-in page, choose PDMPublisher from the Add-in dropdown and select Next.
- On the Execution Method page, check the computers allowed to run the task. If the list is empty, right-click the SOLIDWORKS PDM tray icon, open Task Host Configuration and permit PDMPublisher on the task host computer.
- Configure the Scheduling page if PDM should launch this task automatically.
- Review the PDMPublisher setup pages: Options, Annotations, Conditions and Scheduled Items.
- Before saving, confirm four things: the Template is a BOM layout with name, configuration and quantity columns; Use this version of SOLIDWORKS points to a version installed on the task host; Export Location and Filename are valid with no trailing backslash and use placeholders such as revision, configuration or sheet name when one source can produce several outputs; and, for troubleshooting, Vault Activity Logs is on with Log Folder (Vault Only) set to
(VaultRootFolder)\Logs\PDMPublisher, a folder you created manually. - Select OK to save. The task appears in File Explorer under Tasks in the right-click menu.
Options page: Output
The Options task page controls where PDMPublisher writes exported files, which formats are created, how PDFs are merged and how the task behaves when it runs. Every option is listed below by group, exactly as the page groups them.
| Setting | What it does | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Export Location | Destination folder or dynamic path pattern for generated files. | Supports placeholders; no trailing backslash. See extension-specific locations. |
| Filename | Output filename pattern. | Use variables such as revision, configuration or sheet name to keep outputs unique. |
| File Formats | One or more export formats: PDF, DXF, DWG, STEP, eDrawings, 3MF, IFC and the others listed above. | eDrawings preferences are applied automatically by the task. |
| Use @ Tab to Evaluate Paths | Lets the @ configuration tab resolve variables used in the export path or filename. | Use when variables live on the file’s @ tab. |
| Create Reference from Destination File to Source File | Creates a PDM reference from the exported file back to the source file. | Makes the PDF or STEP show under the source’s Contains/Where Used. |
| Delete Duplicates Outside the Destination Folder | Removes duplicate output files outside the destination folder. | Keeps only the current output location. |
| Map Variables Between Source and Destination File | Copies mapped metadata from the source file to the generated output file. | See SOLIDWORKS PDM integration. |
Options page: Export Behavior
| Setting | What it does | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Export affected document | Exports the top-level file that triggered the task. | Disable only when the task should process referenced documents but not the top-level document. |
| Export references to file formats individually | Exports referenced documents as separate output files. | Requires a valid Template for reference calculation. |
| Convert multiple configurations | Processes every part and assembly configuration instead of only one. | Use (ConfigurationName) in the filename to keep outputs unique. |
| Ask user to select configuration on startup | Prompts the user for the configuration when the task starts. | The quantity entered at launch multiplies (BOMQuantity). |
| Ask user to specify files on task launch | Shows a file selection dialog at launch: Add files, From CSV, per-file Configuration and File Formats, and the export location. | Leave disabled for fully automated workflows. |
| Archive all exported documents (.zip) | Creates a ZIP package containing the exported files. | Useful for supplier packages. |
| Export sheet metal parts to 1:1 flat pattern DXF | Exports sheet-metal flat patterns as 1:1 DXF files. | See Sheet metal publishing. |
| Split Bodies | Saves multi-body parts as separate body files. | Applies to model formats. |
| Use Microsoft Print To PDF to save PDFs | Uses the Windows PDF printer path for PDF creation. | Alternative to the SOLIDWORKS PDF export. |
Options page: PDF and Drawing Sheets
| Setting | What it does | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Merge exported PDFs into one master PDF | Combines PDF outputs into one master PDF. | See Merge drawings into one PDF. |
| Add table of content to merged PDF | Inserts a generated table of contents into the merged PDF. | See PDM table of content. |
| Table columns | Controls the columns shown on the generated table of contents. | PDM variables and BOM quantity can be columns. |
| PDF bookmarks | Defines bookmark text for merged PDFs. | See PDF bookmarks. |
| Sheets to export | All drawing sheets, or only sheets matching a pattern. | Drawing Sheets group. |
| Sheet name pattern | Wildcard pattern used when exporting matching sheets only. | Can use (ConfigurationName); if nothing matches, versions 2026.08.09 and later export all sheets and log the fallback. |
Options page: PDM and SOLIDWORKS
| Setting | What it does | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Work with latest version | Forces PDM to get the latest file version before publishing. | Use carefully in release workflows; Get latest revision only takes precedence. |
| Get latest revision only | Publishes the exact version tied to the newest recorded revision, with the references saved with that version, and logs the revision and version number. | A file with no recorded revision fails instead of publishing an unrevised version. PDM task only. |
| Quick view mode (Drawings Only) | Opens drawings in quick view mode where supported. | Faster drawing export. |
| Use search to locate drawings | Uses PDM search when drawings are not beside the model. | Finds same-name drawings elsewhere in the vault. |
| Use this version of SOLIDWORKS | Selects which installed SOLIDWORKS version runs the publish job. | Pick a year installed on the task host, or Latest for the newest supported installation detected there. |
| Hide Task in File Explorer | Hides the task from the right-click Tasks menu. | For tasks that should run only from workflows or administration contexts. |
Options page: BOM, Activity Logs and Advanced
| Setting | What it does | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Template | Selects the PDM BOM template/layout used to calculate assembly references, configurations and quantities. | Must include <Name>, <Configuration> and a Quantity/<RefCount> column. Required even with drawing-derived BOM. |
| Calculation method | Chooses whether reference and quantity calculation uses as-built references or the latest references. | Pairs with Work with latest version. |
| Use drawing-derived BOM | Uses the first named BOM saved on the associated assembly drawing, with the configured calculated BOM as fallback. | See BOM Manager for the add-in equivalent. |
| Vault Activity Logs | Creates detailed logs of the steps performed during publishing. | Enable when validating a new task or troubleshooting. |
| Server-Synced Activity Logs | Sends activity logs to the server for later support review. | Enable Vault Activity Logs first. Confirm company policy if filenames, paths or job history are sensitive. |
| Log Folder (Vault Only) | PDM vault folder where log files are deposited. | Recommended (VaultRootFolder)\Logs\PDMPublisher; create it manually; inside the vault; no trailing backslash. |
| Ignore sub-assemblies children when condition checks fail | Prevents children of failed sub-assemblies from being processed. | See Conditional assembly processing. |
Ask user to specify files on task launch
When this option is enabled, launching the task (typically from the right-click menu on the user’s own computer) opens a dialog in which the user chooses which files to export, which configurations to process, which formats to create and where the output goes. It does not replace the administrator’s settings; the yellow message at the top reminds users that export behavior is configured in the Administration tool.
| Control | What it does | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Add | Manually adds files from the vault. | Checked files are published; unchecked files stay visible but are skipped. |
| From CSV | Imports multiple files from a CSV list. | Reads a filename, file, filepath or path column, otherwise the first usable name per row. Only the file name is used for the vault search; the first match is taken and duplicates are skipped. |
| File Name column | The file selected for export; assemblies expand to show referenced parts and drawings. | Drawing rows marked View only are checked only when a 2D format such as pdf, dwg or dxf is selected and the parent is checked. |
| Configuration column and list | The configuration processed for that row. | Drawings show view-only because the sheet is exported. |
| Found In column | The vault or local cache folder where the file was found. | |
| File Formats checklist | Output formats for the selected file. | Drawings: PDF, DWG, DXF. Models: STEP, STL, eDrawings and other model formats. |
| Export location | The output path pattern for this launch, for example (FileFolder)\Sheet\Export. | Same placeholder rules as the task option. |
| OK / Cancel | Starts publishing with the selections, or closes without running. |
Scheduled Items
The Scheduled Items page defines the files PDMPublisher processes when the task launches without a file selection, which is what happens with PDM scheduling. Select Add to choose one or more SOLIDWORKS files from the vault; PDMPublisher stores the file ID and parent folder ID and rebuilds the input list when the scheduled task runs. Select rows and Remove to drop them. The table shows File Name and Found In.
Scheduling itself is PDM’s own framework: the task’s Scheduling page controls when the task starts; Scheduled Items controls what it processes. The task still uses the settings on Options, Annotations and Conditions.
Scheduled Items override every other file selection. If this page contains files, PDMPublisher processes them and ignores files selected from the right-click Tasks menu, files chosen at task launch or files passed by another launch method. Only configure it for tasks that should always process the same saved list. If no files are selected at launch and no scheduled items are configured, the task stops with an error. The selected files must remain in the vault and the task host must have permission to access them.
Licensing per vault and the 7-day trial
A PDM Professional license is a secret key from the order email. It entitles you to use PDMPublisher for a specified duration and on a number of domains, that is, the number of vaults where the add-in can be installed. Manage it from the Administration tool: right-click the add-in under Add-ins and select Manage license…. Activate consumes the license for the logged-in vault; Deactivate stops using it on that vault. To reactivate after expiry with the same key, open Manage license… and select Activate; the new expiry date appears.
A free 7-day trial of the PDM task is requested from the Blue Byte Systems store: open the PDMPublisher trial page, select the number of seats, add to cart and check out with a total of US$0.00 and the product identified as PDMPublisher (Trial). Install with PDMDeploy, activate the key, then set up your first task. The trial is for the PDM Professional task only, not for PDMPublisher for SOLIDWORKS, which has its own free Community Edition and Premium license.
License activation needs an outbound connection to bluebyte.biz on port 443. If the license cannot be consumed, check the firewall first.
Logs and the Task Details tab
With Vault Activity Logs enabled, each run writes a detailed log to the Log Folder (Vault Only). The Task Details Log tab reads that log and lists successful files in a table with Timestamp, Destination File, Ver (the PDM version of the saved output), Original File and Found In. Open Log File opens the original log for full output and troubleshooting; Help opens the documentation.
The Details tab requires logging to be enabled, and the viewing user needs read permission on the log file and folder and access to the workflow state where it sits. Files saved outside the vault are not tracked in the Details tab; it only reports files saved or checked in to PDM and recorded in the log. It is a presentation of the log, not a separate tracking record.
Recipes
- Release PDFs on transition. Task Release PDF: File Formats = PDF; Export Location =
(VaultRootFolder)\Released PDFs\($ProjectNumber)\(FileNameNumberRange)\(State); Filename with(FileNameWithoutExtension)-(Revision); Get latest revision only on; Create Reference from Destination File to Source File on; Hide Task in File Explorer on. Attach it to the transition into Released. - Supplier package on demand. Task Supplier STEP+PDF: formats STEP and PDF; Export references to file formats individually on with a valid Template; Archive all exported documents (.zip) on; Ask user to specify files on task launch on so purchasing can uncheck components. Launched from the right-click Tasks menu.
- Nightly archive. Task Nightly archive: list the top-level assemblies on Scheduled Items, set the PDM Scheduling page to run overnight, Work with latest version on, Vault Activity Logs on with the log folder set. The task host processes the saved list every night.
Tips, limits and troubleshooting
- The Tasks menu is missing. The PDM user settings may be hiding add-ins. In the Administration tool open the user settings dialog and confirm add-ins are visible for that user, then reopen File Explorer and right-click a file. The task appears under Tasks with the name from its setup page.
- I cannot see the exported files. The export location must be somewhere in or outside the vault where the running user has workflow and folder permissions to add and edit files. The vault root is usually locked.
- Not all references are captured. The assembly and its references need local copies on the task host. Get-latest on the task host or enable Work with latest version.
- The task cannot check in the log file. Check file and folder permissions on the log folder, and make sure the
txtextension is not part of the PDM auto-add user setting. - BOM layout errors. PDMPublisher uses the PDM BOM layout selected in Template; it must include a Quantity (
<RefCount>) column and a<Configuration>column. Quantities ignore suppressed, virtual, envelope and BOM-excluded components. - Wrong or missing SOLIDWORKS version. Use this version of SOLIDWORKS must name a year installed on the task host, or
Latest. The Windows account running the task must be able to start it. - eDrawings output. Task version 2026.08.12 and later applies the eDrawings preferences (allow measurement, save file properties, save properties per component) automatically before saving
.eprt,.easmand.edrw, so output no longer depends on the task host account’s stored eDrawings preferences. Update PDMPublisher on every computer that can execute the task. Thehtmlformat needs eDrawings Professional. - Helvetica-Bold font warning in a merged PDF. This comes from the PDF reader; install the appropriate font.
- Details tab is empty. Confirm logging is on, the output was saved inside the vault, the log contains check-in messages and the user can read the log file and folder.
- Get latest revision only fails a file. By design: a file without a recorded revision is not published. Use Work with latest version for work-in-progress tasks.
- Scheduled task did nothing. A scheduled launch passes no files; add them on Scheduled Items or the task stops with an error.
Availability
Available in PDMPublisher for PDM Professional, the task add-in configured in the PDM Administration tool. This article covers PDMPublisher for PDM Professional, the task add-in configured in the SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration tool. The PDMPublisher for SOLIDWORKS add-in shares the same publishing engine but runs interactively on the open document with reusable profiles; see the SOLIDWORKS add-in product page for that workflow.
Documentation and related features
- PDM task documentation
- SOLIDWORKS PDM integration
- Conditional assembly processing
- Merge multiple drawings into one PDF
- Extension-specific export locations
- Sheet metal publishing
- Watermark your PDFs
Frequently asked questions
How do I launch a PDMPublisher task in SOLIDWORKS PDM?
Attach it to a workflow transition, run it from the right-click Tasks menu on selected vault files, or configure the PDM Scheduling page together with the Scheduled Items page for a saved list of files.
Where does the PDMPublisher task run?
On a task host: any computer checked on the task’s Execution Method page and permitted for PDMPublisher in Task Host Configuration. It can be the launching client or a dedicated server, and it needs the selected SOLIDWORKS version installed and local copies of the files.
How is PDMPublisher for PDM Professional licensed?
Per vault. The license key from the order email covers a duration and a number of domains (vaults). Activate or deactivate it from Add-ins > PDMPublisher > Manage license… in the Administration tool. A free 7-day trial is available from the Blue Byte Systems store.
Why is the Tasks menu missing in File Explorer?
The PDM user settings are probably hiding add-ins for that user. Open the user settings dialog in the Administration tool, make add-ins visible, and right-click a vault file again.
What is the difference between Work with latest version and Get latest revision only?
Work with latest version retrieves the newest checked-in version. Get latest revision only retrieves the version tied to the newest recorded revision with its saved references, and takes precedence. A file without a revision fails under Get latest revision only.
Where are the PDMPublisher task logs?
Enable Vault Activity Logs and set Log Folder (Vault Only), typically (VaultRootFolder)\Logs\PDMPublisher, created manually inside the vault. The Task Details Log tab reads that log; Open Log File opens the full text.